Emergency services are at the scene of a massive fire in Ballymena this evening.

Businesses and other buildings have been evacuated in the Broughshane Street area of the Co Antrim town.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has 10 appliances battling the blaze – eight of them normal pumping engines and two specialist aerial appliances.

The blaze broke out at Woodgreen Furniture shop with extensive damaged caused to the building. It's been described by the NIFRS as "a significant fire".

Crews, who were called around 5pm, are trying to put out flames in five shops, four of them adjacent to the furniture shop.

The area has been sealed off while fire crews battle the flames.

A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesman said: "At 17.08 hours on 30th May 2017, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service received a call to a fire in a furniture store at Broughshane Street, Ballymena.

"On arrival at the incident, initial crews were confronted by a well-developed fire in the property. Crews from several surrounding stations attended.

"There are currently eight fire appliances, two high reach aerial appliances and a specialist command support unit, with a total of 58 firefighters on the fire ground and extensive firefighting operations are still ongoing."